Oral health literacy: Implications for the oral health professional

Abstract

The term "literacy" is commonly used in education and is increasingly mentioned in the health literature and policy documents. Academic literacy, informational literacy, oral literacy, print literacy and numeracy, health literacy, mental health literacy all refer to something quite different. In recent years, the term "oral health literacy" has surfaced. What exactly is oral health literacy? Why should oral health professionals be aware? This article aims to describe the concept of oral health literacy and discuss its importance, relevance and practical application for the oral health professional